Girl Talk
by joanderson
Summary: A conversation between two friends. Lisa and Claudia share an intimate conversation and a cup of tea. And this time Lisa will be the one giving the advices. Enjoy
1. Chapter 1

"Girl's Talk"  
Author: JoAnderson  
Disclaimer: I don't own Robotech or any of the Characters. This fanfic was written only for fun .  
To: everyone who reads it, and thanks to Peter who beta this chapter.

Author's note: this fic just came to my mind one night and as the title said is just a girl talk. Oh and take places after Lisa's return from Breetai ship and before Roy's death. Enjoy it

Reviews: please, I need them. It what's keep me writing. opened the door of her apartment and was quite surprised to find Claudia on the other side.

"Hi Lisa" said Claudia, holding a small box in her hand.

"Hi Claudia! This is a surprise," Lisa replied as she stood away from the door so Claudia could come in.

"If you are busy, I can just go" said Claudia before entering.

"Claudia, please, come on in, I was just reading some reports," said Lisa and encouraged her friend to get into the apartment.

"I brought some tea, so we could drink while we talk," said Claudia and handed the small box that was in her hands to Lisa.

"That would be great, you always have all types of exquisite teas that I love," said Lisa.

"Yeah I know, that's why I bring a box," said Claudia with a smile.

"So why don't you take a seat while I go to the kitchen to prepare this," said Lisa with a smile.

"Ok," said Claudia and sat in the small living room and start to look around. "So, what were you working on?"

"I was just checking the statements that Corporals Sterling, Dixon and Rick made of the time that we spent on the enemy ship, trying to understand our enemy better" said Lisa as she stood at the doorframe in the kitchen looking at Claudia. "You know me," she said and shrugged her shoulders.

"Yeah I know you, checking even the last tiny detail," said Claudia with a smile. "When I checked the statements, I was…I mean, if those reports haven't came from you, I just wouldn't believe what was on it."

"I know," said Lisa honestly. "They are so surreal, and I truly can't blame the people that were interrogating me and the boys; they looked at us like we were crazy or high, if I was be in their position I wouldn't have believed a single word."

"At least you weren't there alone, you had Sterling, Dixon and Hunter to back you up"

"Yeah, otherwise I seriously doubt that Maistroff would have let me continue to be the first officer," said Lisa, half worried and half kidding.

"That asshole," said Claudia, a little pissed off

"I know, I just wanted to jump over the table and strangle him during the debriefing," Lisa exclaimed, moving her hands just like she was strangling him, pissed off as well.  
"Believe me I would have strangle him" said Claudia and both girls started to laugh.

"I know, I know," said Lisa, laughing. "All that he wants is to sit in Captains Gloval's chair."

"That's all he has ever wanted and if he ever does that I swear to God I will kill him."

"Just get in line, Claudia," said Lisa they both start to laugh again. When they stopped laughing, Lisa added, "So have you talked with the Captain about what he thought of the debriefing?"

"No, I haven't talked to him, but what do you believe he thinks?"

"Wait a second," said Lisa as she went to the kitchen to check the tea. Then she came back from the kitchen with a tray with to cups fill with a very aromatic tea.

"Thanks," said Claudia and she grabbed a cup and took a sip.

"And about Captain Gloval, I know he trusts me, but I'm not quite sure if he believes all that I said. I mean, it's one thing to believe that the enemy has one hundred ships, but hundreds of millions of ship is quite a different story," said Lisa as she sat in front of Claudia with her own cup of tea.

"Yes, but don't worry Lisa he will always be on your side," said Claudia, with a smile.

"I know," said Lisa, smiling. She had always found herself protected by the Captain, she has always felt he was like a father, like a role model and above all she always knew that whenever she needed she could count on him, more even than with her own father.

"But let's forget about work, how are you, hon," Claudia asked with concern.

"I'm fine," Lisa said, in a normal tone. Claudia raised an eyebrow at that.

"Really, I'm fine, and I have 5 psychiatrists that support what I'm saying, and almost a dozen expert military personnel that say the same thing," said Lisa seriously, and then she gave Claudia a smile.

"Really, Claudia, I'm fine, I'm glad that I'm back at home. And I'm not going to lie to you; I was scared when I was in the enemy ship, especially when they submitted us to the interrogation. I truly felt that none of us would be leaving that ship alive, but I have Rick and his boys. He was quite supportive," said Lisa, and when she saw Claudia's face she added with a shy smile, "Really! Believe it or not, he was really a good helper. But I don't feel traumatized  
or anything like that for having been held prisoner."

"I know that you are not a girl that could be easily scared, but being there with the enemy isn't something that you can easily process."

"Yeah probably, but that's not what is keeping me awake, what's bothering me is what I couldn't understand about our enemy."

"And that would be?" ask Claudia.

"Many things, but I have the idea that you didn't came here to talk about the enemy's behavior, am I right?" asked Lisa with suspicion.

"I was worried for you Lisa, you were gone for a couple of months I just want to know how my best friend was."

"And I believe you Claudia, but as your best friend I also know that there's something else that is bothering you," said Lisa, smiling sweetly.

"It's just a silly thing, but let's talk about important things, you said that Hunter was a really big help, how is that so?" ask Claudia avoiding Lisa's gaze

"Oh, come on, Grant, spell it out," said Lisa, rolling her eyes. "And you say I'm the one that is always avoiding important issues. Come on, tell Aunt Lisa what's bothering you," said Lisa, using the same tone of voice that Claudia always used when she wanted Lisa to make a confession.

Claudia looked at her, raised an eyebrow, knowing that Lisa was mimicking her, moved in her seat, and finally spoke.

"It's just that lately I feel …my relationship with Roy, I just don't know" said Claudia.

"You don't know what Claudia," Lisa asked carefully, surprised and preoccupied.

"We are stuck, Lisa, we are at the same point that we were 3 years ago" said Claudia with sadness.

"But you look so good together," said Lisa softly

"I know, and I never believed that I would be the type of girl that would need a ring or need to get married to be happy. I believed that just by being together, that the love that we felt for each other would be enough but now…I just don't know," said Claudia, frustrated.

"You don't feel it's enough," asked Lisa.

"Kind of, I mean everything was fine, everything was the same as always…" Claudia was saying when Lisa interrupted her.

"And that's the problem"

"I love him, you know that," said Claudia and Lisa nodded. "And I know that he loves me, I don't even question that." She finished, giving Lisa a secure yet shy smile.

"I know, but I still can remember those anxiety attacks that you used to have when you started to date Roy, because he had looked at certain female officer or at the waitress when you went out."

"I did not," Claudia said, offended.

"Ok it wasn't an anxiety attack but you were certainly concerned and don't look at me like that," said Lisa and they both started to laugh.

"Well what to do you want me to do? He was the ladies man."

"That's so true," said Lisa and paused, then added, "And I was the one that was telling you to give him a chance."

"Yeah, I still don't know why you did that," Claudia remarked with a question on her face.

"Me neither," said Lisa and they both laughed. "Maybe because I was his test pilot partner, let's call it a pilot bond." At this, Lisa and Claudia both rolled their eyes. "Maybe because some how I knew he was the right one for you," Lisa smiled back.

"I know he is the right one for me, and that's the reason why this is killing me."

"So you feel that you two are stuck?"

"I mean between my work on the bridge and his patrols, we don't see each other often, and when we do…we just did the same things that we have been doing for the last 3 years."

"And what do you want?"

"Oh God, it's even make me sick just saying this," said Claudia, seeing Lisa try to hide her smile. "I want to be formal with him, I want that we start to make plans together you know…." said Claudia and she stood up form the couch

"And with 'plans together' you mean get married?" Lisa asked. Claudia just nodded, while she walked around the coffee table.

"Like you want the ring, the proposal, the ceremony, the big fancy wedding and the white dress?" Lisa asked, and every time Claudia nodded.

"I just can't believe I'm saying this, but yes, I want to get formal with Roy. I mean we're together, but we haven't ever decided what point of the relationship we're at. And, yes, I want him to propose, I want to walk around showing my engagement ring and I want to start planning my dream wedding and…" said Claudia and suddenly she went silent.

"And?" ask Lisa

"I just want to be secure with him, to wake up every morning and have him by my side, with out thinking that one of us have to leave to their own apartment, I just want to get old with him" said Claudia, and the last word were said softly

"And you don't feel that you can do that right now? Just the way things are right now?"

"I mean, I know that I don't need to be married with him to have all this, but it's just that…God I must be getting old, or all this time on the space is affecting my neurons, but I feel it's the right thing to do. And it might be stupid, but even when I know that he loves me I just need to be sure, and, yes, I know that getting married or even engaged doesn't mean that we will be together for sure, but for some reason I need it," she finished.

"I know, Claudia, and I know that after all the time that you two have spent together the right thing to do is to start to plan your life together, not just live it together."

"Yes Lisa, that's it, I want to have plans with Roy and I know that he is not very used to this, you know being a fighter pilot, he just lives for the day, but I think it is time to do more than that, to…to start a…" Claudia started to say, and again she went silent and took a huge breath.

"To start a family," asked Lisa as she stood from her seat and went to sit next to Claudia. "Is that it, Claudia?"

"I'm about to turn 30, Lisa, and I know that, with the war, and other things, maybe now is not the right time, but I know that Roy is the love of my life, and I realize now that I want to have a family with him. But not just a family; I want a family in the right way. I want to marry him, and I want him to be the father of my children," said Claudia.  
When she finished Lisa just hugged her. "Claudia, you really love that flyboy," Lisa said wiping the tears that she had on her eyes.

"But you all ready knew this," said Claudia and wiped her own tears.

"Of course I knew, but what make you realize so soon that you want to have a family with Roy?"

"It's your fault," said Claudia, and gave Lisa a small punch in the shoulder. "This disappearance of yours made me think that everything could end when you lest expect it and made me think in the future."

"Well, then, I'm happy to be the cause of this," said Lisa with a huge smile. "I don't need to ask if you have said all this to Roy, but have you at least insinuated something about this to him," Lisa asked.

"I have tried to, I have tried to say this to him, but I'm scared; you know him… He doesn't like to make plans for the future, and I'm afraid to scare him with all this."

"Yes I know him and I know how much he loves you Claudia, I just have to look at him looking at you, that puppy face that he put every time that he is looking at you without you noticing it, and how he listens to you every time you talk about something important, and, most important of  
all, you are the only one who can make him to shut up," said Lisa and hold her friend again.

"You have made him shut up once in while"

"Only because I threaten him with you," said Lisa, and she and Claudia laughed.  
"But seriously, Claudia, he loves you and I'm sure that if he has ever thought about having a family you are the one that is next to him, and who says that he is not as scared as you are to say these things to you, who said that he isn't just scared to propose?"

"What makes you think that?" asked Claudia

"Because I know him, and he is more braggart than anything, you know that in the inside he is as shy as I am"

"That's true" nodded Claudia.

"And insecure."

"I know."

"So maybe all he needs is that you take the first step," said Lisa with a kinky face.

"What are you insinuating," Claudia asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You know what I'm insinuating," said Lisa with an evil smile.

"You want me to propose to Roy?"

"Why not?"

"Have you lost your mind," Claudia asked, and stood up "This is the kind of post traumatic trauma that I was expecting, I told you."

"Oh, come on, Claudia, I thought that you were a trained soldier, ready to deal with any obstacle that crosses your path."

"This is different, Lisa," said Claudia, and she sat in the seat that Lisa was using before.

"Why? You are the one that always is saying that I should go for it, so why don't you follow your own words?"

"Yes, but no, I mean I can't… I couldn't, I probably will freeze, I … no, there's no way."

"I thought that you were a tough woman," said Lisa and remained silent. "I guess I was mistaken."

"I am tough, but this is different, what if he said no?"

"You really believe that he will say no," Lisa asked, crossing her arms in disbelief.

"No, I mean I'm not sure, but there's a chance."

"I seriously doubt that, and you know that with Roy a hint will not be enough, you have to be straight with him. So the way I see it you have to choices: you can talk with him about it or you can just be more aggressive and propose to him"

"Yeah, it's very easy for you to say it, isn't it?"

"Actually, yes" Lisa said with a smile. "Because I know that you two are meant for each other, because I know that you two are in love with each other; that's why."

"But he is the one that's is supposed to propose," Claudia protested.

"And since when you are so traditional," Lisa asked in surprise.

"Well…I'm not…it's just…" said Claudia and remained silent. "Actually, all this thing to get married with him is just to traditional for my taste."

"So why don't you gave it a twist, and you are the one who's proposing to him?"

"I …" was saying Claudia and she remain in silence for a long time, avoiding Lisa's gaze.  
"But how? How can I do it? I can't buy him a ring," Claudia said, and they started to laugh.

"Certainly not," said Lisa, still laughing. "I don't know maybe invite him at your place for a dinner, a romantic dinner?"

"And then what? I can't just say to him, 'Hi Roy how was your patrol? And, by the way, I was thinking that we could get married, so do you want to marry me?'"

"I would pay to see his face if you said that to him," said Lisa, and couldn't avoid a smile. "But I don't know if you can just say to him the same things that you said to me. Actually, all you have to say to him is how much you love him, and that you want to spend the rest of your life together, and start a family with him," said Lisa and grab her friend's hand

"And what if he said no, what if he said that he doesn't want to get married, what if he.." Claudia asked, concerned, but Lisa interrupted her.

"What's your heart saying," asked Lisa looking at her in the eyes.

"That I should go for it, that I love him, and that there's no one else that I want to spend the rest of my life with."

"Then stop thinking, stop thinking in all the what ifs and just do what your heart is saying" said Lisa and then she added "You know it's the right thing to do"

"I know," said Claudia and they both hugged and remained silent for a while.

"Oh, I can even imagine the wedding, you in a cute minimalist wedding dress and Roy so cute in his full dress, and I'm guessing that I will be the bridesmaid."

"Of course you will be the bridesmaid."

"Oh I just can imagine the ceremony will be so nice, the only problem will be the honeymoon if we are still in war by the time of the wedding and then your first baby, because I have always have seen you with two children, and the first one will be a boy and…"

"Hey, remember that the groom still hasn't said yes, and boy you look even more exited than I do, any one will said that you are in love too, Hayes," joked Claudia.

"Yeah sure, I fell terribly in love in the enemy's interrogation, I just saw one of them and fell completely in love with him," joke Lisa.

"But if remember correctly haven't you have to kiss Hunter in that interrogation?"

"Oh come on Claudia, that will be like mixing oil with water," said Lisa and avoided Claudia's gaze.

"That will be so fun to see, you and Hunter," said Claudia, and laughed.

"Very funny Claudia, very funny," said Lisa, a little upset, then added, "but don't change the major subject, so what are you going to do?"

"I guess that I will follow your advice. I'll say to Roy that I want to start a family with him."

"Any idea how you are going to say it?"

"Well it must be in a quiet place, probably my house, maybe a dinner."

"Why don't you cook something special for him?"

"Yes, you are right, I will cook my famous pineapple salad," said Claudia more to herself than for Lisa.

"Your what?"

"Roy's favorite dish, and then I just let the bomb fall," said Claudia and shrugged her shoulders.

"Everything will turn out ok, I know it," said Lisa with a confident smile

"I hope so," said Claudia.

"But before all that, we have to go shopping. I mean, you have to look special on that day," Lisa joked.

"What are you suggesting?"

"There's this very nice lingerie store that the trio took me the other day, you know, in case the flyboy says I do."

"Lisa Hayes," said Claudia, covering her mouth with her hand like she were scared.

"You are really getting old," said Lisa, and then she added, "and don't said that you didn't think the same thing before I did." Claudia just looked at her.

"Maybe," she said with a kinky smile.

"I knew it"

"The enemy really made a psychic work with you, you know that?"

"Oh come on, you know, a long time ago I was engaged too, remember?" said Lisa and they both started to laugh. But their laughs were stopped, because the voice of Sammie on the ship speakers.

"All officers report to their combat stations, this is not a drill! I repeat, all officers report to their combat stations."

"Talking about the enemy," said Lisa.

"Yeah, at least we could have our conversation."

"Yes, and at least we both are in our uniforms," said Lisa.

"Well, we better go to bridge, because if it's an enemy attack, Sammie must be about to collapse."

"I thought she was in my place while I was gone."

"Yes, but she has never been in charge during combat, so for Sammie's sake, and the pilots, let's hurry," said Claudia, and she opened the apartment door.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," said Lisa, and she closed the door behind her, with Claudia a few steps ahead, waiting for her.

The End

Author's Note: I'll be waiting reviews at and thanks to Carla visit her site www.fanfics.cl/dyrl


	2. Chapter 2

Girl's Talk

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Robotech or any of the characters. This was only written for fun

Author's note: I hope you like this chapter. It was written because I feel the need to explore a little more about Claudia's and Lisa's friendship, and also about Lisa's relationship with Roy.

Reviews: please, I'll be waiting them, It's what keeps me writing.

To: everyone on DYRL forum and specially to K71 who beta this chapter and of course to Carla, amiga te adoro!

Lisa, took a huge breath before knocking on the apartment door. She knew she had to be strong- she had to be strong for her friend. But Lisa didn't know if she could be strong enough to comfort her. After all, she missed him too.

"Hi," said Lisa softly when the door was opened.

"Hi," said Claudia on the other side of the door, giving Lisa a sad smile.

"I thought that you might need help," said Lisa, trying to sound casual.

"I'm fine, but thanks," said Claudia and stepped away from the door so Lisa could enter the apartment.

"You know that is not a problem for me to help you pack," said Lisa when she closed the door.

"I know," said Claudia and took a picture frame in her hands and looked at the picture. She then put it in a box fast as if she didn't want to see what was on it.

"You don't need to do this alone," said Lisa and put her hand tenderly on Claudia's shoulder.

"I do, Lisa," said Claudia, looking at her with sadness, "I have to do this alone."

"Claudia," said Lisa softly.

"I'm fine Lisa," said Claudia and shrank her shoulders, "after all, I always knew that this was a possibility. He was a fighter pilot; he risked his life every day. It was just matter of time," she finished and tightened her jaw so she wouldn't cry.

"Yes, it was a chance. But you can never be prepared to lose the one you love," said Lisa from the bottom of her heart.

"No, you don't. But there's nothing that I can do, either," said Claudia with hopelessness as she continued putting things inside the box.

"Because no matter what you do, he will not come back," said Lisa with sadness.

"No, he won't. So there's nothing to do about it," said Claudia and made a pause to catch her breath, "I just have to start to get used to the idea that I'm alone."

"You are not alone," said Lisa and grabbed her friend's hand.

"But I am Lisa, I am alone," said Claudia and took her friends hand in return. "I know that I have all of you, but I have never felt more alone than I feel right now," said Claudia. Her eyes where full of tears, but she held them.

"I wish there was something I could tell you, but there's nothing I can say…" said Lisa and made a pause. "I can't tell you that I know what you are going through, because no one can truly understand how you feel and what you have lost," said Lisa honestly.

"The only one that could understand is gone," said Claudia and her chin started to tremble, but she fought it back.

"Sweetie, It's OK if you cry for him," said Lisa softly, holding her own tears.

"I'm not ready for that yet," said Claudia, shaking her head in denial.

"You are not ready to let him go?" asked Lisa.

"I'll never be ready to let him go," said Claudia with a sad smile.

"I can only imagine how much you miss him."

"It's not that I just miss him…there just so many things…and I feel so…" Claudia began, but she didn't know what words to use because there were no words that could describe how much it hurt to have lost him.

"Lonely," Lisa finished the sentence for her.

"And broken. He took a piece of me with him and I…I just don't have him."

"You have the time that you two were together."

"And somehow it doesn't seem enough. The time that we were together was not enough, it just wasn't enough," said Claudia and let herself fall onto a chair.

"I know and it's not fair."

"No, it's not fare," said Claudia, looking at Lisa in the eyes with so much pain, "And I want to hate someone. I want to find the one who shot him and hurt him. I want revenge. But nothing will bring my Roy back to life."

"Claudia," was all that Lisa could say.

"They took him from me, and there were so many things undone… no, it's not fair," said Claudia and breathed slowly to hold her tears. "You know, that day was the day. It was going to be the day that I was going to propose to him…I just never got the chance."

"I'm sorry," said Lisa and stood in front of her friend.

"I never got the chance to tell him how much I truly loved him…I lost so much time and now he's gone forever."

"He loved you."

"And I loved him…so much," said Claudia and cleared one tear before it could fall from her eyes.

"There's something you should have," said Lisa softly and reached in her pocket, pulling out a small box and giving it to Claudia.

"What is this?" asked Claudia curiously.

"I should have given you this sooner, its just that I was so…I just didn't have the heart," said Lisa and her eyes started to fill with tears. "It breaks my heart to give you this now that he has died, but I know that he wanted with all of his heart for you to have it," said Lisa and cleared the tears that had started to fall from her own eyes.

"What?" Claudia was saying but she went silent as she opened the box.

"Roy and I talked the day before his death……

flashback

Lisa was looking at the sunset from the observation deck. She tried to fix her attention on the soft colors of the sun over the pacific ocean and tried not to think.

She just wanted to remove his image from her head. She had went to visit Rick at the hospital and saw him there. He looked so pale, so fragil, so weak...and everything was her fault. She had given the wrong order and he had been the victim. It was her fault that he was in the hospital.

Lisa took a deep breath. It hurt her to think that she almost lost him and that if he had died there would have been no one else to blame but her. She felt her heart beat heavily in her chest.

She took another deep breath and looked around and something caught her attention. Her friend was there, with a troubled face, leaning against the banister. Lisa smiled and started to walk toward him.

"A penny for your thoughts flyboy," she said softly when she was next to him.

"Hey Lisa," said Roy and turned toward her quickly and smiled at her.

"Are you ok?" asked Lisa with concern.

"I'm fine," he said smiling at her.

"You know, you should never try to play poker," said Lisa with a smile.

"What?"

"You are a terrible liar Fokker," said Lisa with a funny grin.

"What do you mean?" asked Roy, both confused and nervous.

"There's something bothering you," said Lisa and stood right in front of him. Then she just smiled and rested her own weight against the banister. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" asked Lisa, looking at the sun that was about to disappear.

"Yes it is," said Roy and they both remained in silence looking at the sunset until the sun finally disappeared.

Lisa looked at him. There was definitely something worrying him. But she knew Roy Fokker, he would not talk until he was ready.

"Well, it's getting cold so I better go," she said and smiled at him.

"Do you have a shift tomorrow?" asked Roy.

"It's my day off," said Lisa.

"Lucky you," said Roy.

"After a month, I think I deserve it."

"Good point," said Roy and smiled at her.

"Take care flyboy," said Lisa and put her hand on his shoulder, "and if you ever need to talk, you know where to find me," she said and then started to walk away from him. She hadn't gone ten steps when Roy was by her side.

"Actually, there's something that has been bothering me," he said without looking at her.

"What is it?" asked Lisa in a soft maternal tone of voice. She knew that Roy was strangely shy at times.

"Have you talked to Claudia?"

"Of course, I work next to her," said Lisa with a grin.

"Hayes," said Roy pissed off.

"Talk about you, you mean?" asked Lisa.

"No, about the milk man," said Roy, raising an eyebrow.

"Fokker," said Lisa, now pissed off.

"Yes, about me," said Roy finally, still not looking at her.

"No, we haven't, not recently," said Lisa as she remembered her conversation with Claudia a couple of weeks ago.

"I see," said Roy and remained in silence.

"Why? What's going on?" asked Lisa with concern.

"I don't know," said Roy and started to look at the ocean again, "she is different."

"What do you mean?"

"She has become distant lately."

"We have had a lot of work lately."

"It's not that," said Roy and made a pause, "she just doesn't look at me in the eyes anymore," said Roy with sadness.

"Roy, I'm sure that it's not what you think," said Lisa and stood next to him.

"It's like she has something to say to me but she doesn't have the courage," said Roy softly.

"And what do you think it is?" asked Lisa, trying as hard as she could to hide her smile.

"I think that she has gotten tired of me," said Roy tightening his jaw, "I think she wants to break up with me."

"Roy come on!" said Lisa in disbelief.

"I'm serious Lisa, she looked at me and was about to say something and then she changed the subject. And she has been avoiding me since we arrived on Earth; avoiding any talk about us," he said.

"It's probably something else Roy. I don't think that she wants to break up with you," said Lisa, looking at him tenderly.

"I keep saying that to myself," said Roy and rested his weight against the banister, "But maybe it's for the best," he said bitterly.

"What? What do you mean?" asked Lisa with concern.

"Maybe the best thing for us- for her- is that we break up," he said coldly. Lisa was frozen by his words.

"Are you serious?" said Lisa, almost afraid. She couldn't believe what he was saying.

"Yes," he said and remained in silence, "She deserves something better, something I can't give to her."

"And what's that?" asked Lisa.

"She deserves a husband, a family... stability. That's something I can't give to her," said Roy with sorrow.

"Why?" asked Lisa and then she looked at him straight in the eyes, "Because you don't love her?"

Roy just smiled at her and then he said, "I love her Lisa, more than I ever imagined I could love anyone," then he laughed out loud, "Actually, I love her just like the stupid love songs says, "she gave me peace, she made more happy than anyone, she is my air…she completes me," said Roy finally.

"Then what's the problem?" asked Lisa, confused.

"The problem, Lisa, is that I'm not good enough for her," said Roy with grief.

"Why?"

"I'm a pilot and that's the only thing that I have ever been good at in my entire life. Claudia deserves more than that. Haven't you thought that some day I could get killed?"

"Roy, come on!" said Lisa, not wanting to think about that.

"It's the truth, Lisa. I deal with death every day and I don't want Claudia to become a pilot's widow. I can't put her through all that my mother had to go through."

"Don't you think that she is big enough to make that decision?"

"Yes she is," said Roy with a sad smile, "But I can't ask that of her. It's not just that Lisa, the time is passing and we are at the same point that we have been the last couple of years. I feel I'm losing her."

"Then do something."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because do something means to take a step forward and I can't."

"You mean that you are scared."

"Yes," confessed Roy softly, without looking at her.

"Of what?" asked Lisa, grabbing her friend's hand.

"Of myself. What if I'm not what she expected? What if I fail her?" he asked her with concern, "She deserves a good man Lisa. That's just not me."

"How can you say that Roy. You are a great man," said Lisa tenderly.

"I wish I was," he said with a bitter smile.

"Haven't you thought that all that she needs is someone that loves her?" asked Lisa.

"I have thought about our lives together, you know," said Roy almost embarrassed.

"I even bought this," he said and took something from his pocket and handed it to Lisa.

"What is this?" she asked as she opened the box.

"I bought it almost a year ago, I thought it was a good idea then," he said and put both his hands in his pockets, waiting for Lisa to say something.

"Oh my God, it's an engagement ring," said Lisa with surprise when she saw the most gorgeous ring. It was perfect for Claudia.

"I want to spend the rest of my life with her," he said.

"What made you change your mind?"

"I'll be a terrible husband. I spend hours with my plane, I'm a mess, my clothes are thrown all over my apartment, I never put down the toilet's top…" he was saying when Lisa raised an eyebrow.

"Don't you think that she already knows all that? Even that you always squeeze the toothpaste."

"I'll be a terrible father; I'm no good with kids."

"You hang around with Rick all the time," said Lisa and they both laughed, "Don't you think that the fact you are concerned about what kind of father you will be makes you a candidate for a good father?"

"It's just that I look at her and… I can't explain it, she makes me so happy. God, there's nothing that I wish more than to spend the rest of my days with her; to start a family with her. I want her to become the mother of my children," said Roy and then he softly added, "maybe I'm selfish, because I want her for myself. I want to keep feeling as complete as I feel when I'm with her but I don't know if I can make her as happy as she has made me," said Roy and his eyes where filled with tears.

"You two complete each other Roy," said Lisa and put her hand tenderly on his shoulder, "I know that."

"She is all that I have ever dream of. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and just look at her and wonder what did I do to deserve her? And then I'm scare to death just to think about what I would do if I ever lost her. Then all I want is to hold her, to let her know that I love her, that I love her so much…" said Roy, becoming silent before his voice started to break.

"I hate you, Fokker," said Lisa as she cleaned her tears. Roy looked at her and smiled and looked away so he could clean his own tears without Lisa noticing.

"Then tell her," said Lisa finally, "Tell her what you said to me. Tell her how much you love her."

"What if she doesn't feel the same way?"

"Of course she feels the same way," said Lisa with a smile, "She loves you with all her heart. Even a blind person can see that."

"What makes you say that?" asked Roy with curiosity.

"Because Roy, she cares about you. She talks about you until we have to force her to shut up. Because of the way she looks at you and because of this silly smile that she wears every time that you kiss her."

"Really?" asked Roy and smiled widely.

"And don't forget the time that she broke that pilots nose just because he said that you were a bad pilot and had earned your rank sleeping with Admiral's daughters," said Lisa raising an eyebrow as they started to laugh.

"That might be true, don't you think Lisa?" he said, looking at her with his charming grin.

"You wish Fokker!" she said and they laughed again.

"It's always worth a try."

"Get serious," said Lisa and she looked at him, "So you have me here freezing, listening to you and you still haven't given me a good reason why you haven't given this to Claudia," said Lisa and showed him the ring.

"Lisa I've told you…" Roy was saying, but Lisa interrupted him.

"All that you have said to me is that you are scared," she said in her flight operator tone of voice. Roy just looked at her with a puppy face. "You love her, you didn't even have to say that to me because it shows. So, why don't you do what your heart is screaming at you. "

"It's not that easy," said Roy with confusion.

"Yes it is. You love her and I know that she loves you. All that is getting between your happiness is your fear," said Lisa softly.

"I know… its just that..." Roy was saying, then he went silent.

"Roy, look at me," said Lisa and put her hand tenderly on Roy's face, "You are a great man and any woman that caught you would be so lucky. So don't say that you don't deserve Claudia. I just have to look into your eyes to realize that you love her deeply and that's all that she needs; all that anyone needs, to have someone that loves you for the rest of your life."

"You think?" asked Roy shyly.

"I know," said Lisa securely.

"You think that she will like this?" asked Roy, looking at the ring.

"It's like her mother's wedding ring isn't it?"

"How do you…?" asked Roy surprised.

"Girl thing," said Lisa with a smile.

They both remained in silence. Lisa observed Roy while he was looking at the ring as if he was waiting for the ring to answer a question.

"She will say yes," said Lisa confidently.

"I wish I had your confidence," said Roy.

"You really question her love for you?" asked Lisa seriously.

"Actually no," said Roy, flashing Lisa a surprised smile.

"Then what are you waiting for?"

"I…"said Roy cluelessly, "I don't know."

"You know, I truly don't understand this problem that pilots have facing what they truly feel," said Lisa rolling her eyes. Roy just laughed out loud at her statement.

"Thanks," said Roy finally.

"For what?" asked Lisa with surprise.

"For listening to me. For opening my eyes," he said and shrank his shoulders.

"Yeah, well what would you do without me?" asked Lisa and pushed him softly.

"Too bad I found Claudia first," said Roy jokingly.

"Yeah, well in case she says no, you know where to find me," said Lisa, playing his game.

"Of course I do," said Roy and winked at her, "We would make hot couple. Everyone would be jealous."

"Yes we would," said Lisa and laughed.

"You and me together," said Roy with his seductive voice and Lisa raised an eyebrow, "Why is it that my sexy voice has never had the right effect on you?" protested Roy.

"Because I know you too well," said Lisa and they both laughed.

"But really, can you imagine us together?" asked Roy.

"Yes, but one of us would end up dead," said Lisa.

"But our kids would be perfect. I mean, with your brain and my looks..." he said with a flirty grin.

"That's a good point," said Lisa and they laughed as Roy hugged her.

"Thank you Lisa, you are a great friend."

"You are a great friend, too," she said tenderly, "But if you ever made Claudia suffer, I would kill you in the most painful way that I could find. Is that clear?"

"Yes ma'am," said Roy and saluted her.

"Just make her happy, OK?" said Lisa.

"I'll do my best," he said with a smile and suddenly his smile became wider and brighter.

"What are you thinking?" asked Lisa.

"She will look so gorgeous in her wedding dress," he said with a dreamy voice.

"You are such a dead man," said Lisa and punched him tenderly, "Who would have thought that you would be saying that," said Lisa laughing.

"Yeah, just the thinking of it makes me sick," said Roy with humor and they both laughed.

"You deserve it Roy. You and Claudia deserve to be happy," said Lisa honestly.

"And you too, Lisa. You will find the right guy, I know that. He might be closer than you think," he said and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah, who knows?" said Lisa and shrank her shoulders.

"I know, I know that you will find a guy that makes you as happy as Claudia makes me."

"Yeah, well I'll he happy to be the aunt of your kids," said Lisa with a smile.

"Lisa," said Roy and rolled his eyes.

"It's the truth," said Lisa and then she got closer to Roy, "Now I better go, I'm freezing out here and I have no plans of spending my first day off in a month in bed with a cold."

"Why do I have the feeling that now you are the one that is avoiding something?"

"Yeah, right," said Lisa and looked at him in the eyes, "Take care, and don't keep that ring in your pocket for too long," said Lisa and hugged Roy.

"I won't," said Roy and hugged her again, "But you have to promise me that you will deal with this fear that flight operator's have to say what they feel."

Lisa looked up at him and punched him lightly.

"I love you too, Hayes," he said with amusement.

"Very funny," she said pissed off.

"I wasn't joking."

"Whatever, I have to go," said Lisa, avoiding the subject, "Take care."

"You too."

"I will," said Lisa and started to walk away from him with a smile on her face.

end of Flashback

"He never had the chance to give it to you," said Lisa softly.

"But how... what happened?" asked Claudia, still confused and looking at the ring.

"Do you remember when we were at the hospital?" asked Lisa.

"Yes I do," said Claudia and her eyes where full of tears.

flashback

Lisa was walking to the exit of the hospital. She had went to see Rick, but once more she hadn't the courage to enter his room.

And suddenly someone pushed her. It was a nurse that was running next to an entire staff of doctors with a stretcher towards the entrance of the hospital.

"It's Commander Fokker," said the nurse, speaking to the doctor that just joined them.

Lisa was frozen. She prayed that she had heard the wrong name; that it wasn't him. But when the entrance door was opened and she saw Claudia get down from the ambulance, she knew that she had heard the right name.

Lisa ran to the entrance and saw how the doctor started to examine Roy. He looked so pale. He could barely keep his eyes open and even though he was almost to big for the stretcher, he still looked fragile.

"Ma'am are you hurt?" asked a nurse to Claudia.

"No, I'm OK," said Claudia.

"Ma'am you have blood on your clothes, are you sure that you are OK?" asked the nurse again.

"It's his blood," said Claudia softly and then she looked at her hands, covered in Roy's blood.

It was just then that Lisa finally reacted. She ran next to her friend.

"Claudia what happened?" asked Lisa with confusion.

"I don't know. He collapsed in the apartment and suddenly started bleeding," said Claudia and looked at Roy.

"Prepare the O.R. and get me a unit of O negative stat!" said the doctor as he ran into the examination room. He was followed closely by Lisa and Claudia.

"You have to wait outside," the nurse told them.

"I'm his girlfriend," said Claudia.

"I'm sorry," said the nurse as she entered the exam room, leaving Claudia and Lisa behind the window.

"He'll be fine," said Lisa.

"I know," said Claudia without looking at the exam room. The time seemed to move in slow motion until finally the nurse came out of the room.

"We managed to stabilize him for the surgery," she said with a smile.

"Can I go in?" asked Claudia almost with fear.

"Yes, you can, but he is barely awake," the nurse warned.

"Thank you," said Claudia, going into the room. She sat next to Roy and tenderly took his hand. He managed to smile at her.

Lisa stayed outside; looking at them and praying for him to be okay. She saw the doctor enter the room and then Claudia get up and tenderly kiss Roy on the forehead. Claudia walked outside with the doctor.

"I need you to sign some papers, Miss Grant," said the doctor.

"Sure," said Claudia and looked at Lisa on her way out. She looked so worried, so scared, Lisa thought. She had never seen Claudia so scared in her entire life.

Lisa got closer to the door, but didn't have the courage to enter the room. She didn't know if it was right to go in, but then Roy waved to her and she entered the room.

"You should not move," said Lisa when she was by his side.

"I'm fine," said Roy almost in whisper.

"I know," said Lisa and took his hand.

"There's something I have to ask you," said Roy with difficulty.

"What?" asked Lisa.

"In my jacket... get the ring. It's in the ambulance," said Roy so softly that Lisa had to bend down to listen to him.

"Why do you want it now?" asked Lisa. She was scared and she felt tears well in her eyes.

"I can't lose the chance," said Roy.

"Come on Roy, you will be fine and you can ask her in the right way," said Lisa and squeezed her friend's hand.

"Please," said Roy and looked at her in the eyes.

"Sure," said Lisa and then got closer to him, "but you have to promise me that you will ask her this in the right way when you get out of the hospital," she said and tears started to fall down her cheeks.

"I promise," said Roy and smiled at her.

"Fine, because I will kill you myself if you don't," said Lisa with a smile and cleaned her tears.

"I know," said Roy and smiled again.

"I'll be right back," said Lisa and when she turned around, Claudia was at the entrance.

"Where are you going?" asked Claudia when she saw Lisa leaving the room.

"Take care of him," said Lisa and left the room, running to the ambulance.

When she got back from the ambulance with the ring in her hand, she found Claudia outside the room looking trough the window. A nurse ran by her side with a resuscitation kit. Lisa ran to her friend's side and looked through the window.

The doctors where around Roy, trying to resuscitate him. Everything happened so fast; Lisa put the ring in her pocket and all she could do was to grab her friend's hand and pray.

Then suddenly everything was over. The doctors stopped their work and slowly started to walk outside Roy's room, leaving him alone inside.

Lisa looked at Claudia, but she seemed to be frozen. She didn't move; all that seemed to move were the tears that were running down her face. Then a doctor came to her and took her inside the room. Claudia grabbed Roy's hand and started to cry while Lisa looked on from outside. She was unable to move, unable to understand what was going on.

Finally Claudia sat peacefully in the chair next to Roy's bed and a nurse entered the room and covered Roy's face. The nurse began to move the stretcher and Claudia followed her in slow motion as if she was numb.

Lisa and Claudia looked into each other eyes and all that they could do was hold each other.

"Please forgive me, I should have run faster. I failed him, he should have been the one to give this to you," said Lisa and cleaned her tears.

"It's not your fault Lisa," said Claudia honestly and put a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"I'm sorry," said Lisa.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, at least I got it and I know what it means," said Claudia and looked at the ring.

"He loved you so much. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with you," said Lisa with sadness.

"At least we spent his last moments together," said Claudia with a broken voice.

"But you two deserve to spend a life time together."

"But now he is gone," said Claudia and her chin was trembling, "and I keep thinking that somehow I will wake up and he will be next to me."

"Honey," said Lisa.

"And it hurts so much, so much more than I could ever imagine," said Claudia with intense pain.

"I'm here," said Lisa and took her friend's hand.

"And people keep telling me that I will get over it, that I'll be fine…how can they say that," said Claudia angrily, "How can they think that I will get over him? How can they think that they can understand my pain, it's my pain," said Claudia, fighting to hold her tears, "And they keep looking at me. Just because I didn't cry at his funeral doesn't mean I don't love him and miss him…" said Claudia and finally she broke down. "And I miss him so much, and he should be here; he should have given me this."

"I know Claudia," said Lisa and she held her friend.

"It's so hard to be without him; it's so hard to accept that he has died," said Claudia between sobs.

"I know," said Lisa who remained there holding her friend and crying with her. It was all that she could do.

The end.


End file.
